


The way you said "I love you"

by AiraKT



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: A little angst, Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-01
Updated: 2017-03-03
Packaged: 2018-09-27 18:51:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10039598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AiraKT/pseuds/AiraKT
Summary: Love confessions, from the tumblr prompt.





	1. 31. Matsuhana

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. As a hello  
> 2\. With a hoarse voice, under the blankets  
> 3\. A scream - KyoHaba  
> 4\. Over a cup of tea  
> 5\. Over a beer bottle  
> 6\. On a sunny Tuesday afternoon, the late sunlight glowing in your hair  
> 7\. As a thank you  
> 8\. As an apology - TsukkiHinaKags (coming soon)  
> 9\. When baking chocolate chip cookies  
> 10\. Not said to me  
> 11\. With a shuddering gasp  
> 12\. When we lay together on the fresh spring grass  
> 13\. In a letter - HinaYachi (coming soon)  
> 14\. A whisper in the ear  
> 15\. Loud, so everyone can hear  
> 16\. Over and over again, till it’s nothing but a senseless babble  
> 17\. When the broken grass litters the floor  
> 18\. From very far away - IwaOi (coming soon)  
> 19\. With no space left between us  
> 20\. As we huddle together, the storm raging outside  
> 21\. Over your shoulder  
> 22\. Muffled, from the other side of the door  
> 23\. Through a song  
> 24\. Without really meaning it  
> 25\. In a blissful sigh as you fall asleep  
> 26\. Broken, as you clutch the sleeve of my jacket and beg me not to leave  
> 27\. A taunt, with one eyebrow raised and a grin bubbling at your lips - DaiSuga (coming soon)  
> 28\. When I am dead  
> 29\. Slowly, the words dripping from your tongue like honey  
> 30\. Too quick, mumbled into your scarf  
> 31\. In awe, the first time you realized it - MatsuHana  
> 32\. In a way I can’t return  
> 33\. On a post-it note  
> 34\. Before we jump  
> 35\. As a goodbye

“’Let’s go out for your birthday,’ he said. ‘It’s going to be fun,’ he said.”

Issei’s hands were interlaced with each other, tightly pressed between his thighs to try and quell the shaking. Had he known that it would be like this he’d never agreed to Makki. Actually he was never going to agree to his best friend again. His allegedly best friend.

“Here you go,” aforementioned best friend said and presented a water bottle to him.

After a short moment of hesitation Issei took the ice cooled bottle, and uttered a small “thank you”, though he immediately bit his tongue after that. Curse him and his politeness, Makki didn’t deserve to be thanked.

“Oh, come on, don’t look like that,” Makki dared to laugh, while sitting next to him on a bench. “It wasn’t that bad.”

Issei only snorted humorlessly. “Tell that to my bladder.”

“You- You didn’t actually-?”

The shocked expression on Makki’s face was nearly worth everything. Issei couldn’t help but laugh, although his voice was admittedly still a little shaky. “No, I didn’t. I’m still the master of my bladder.” Although as he tried to open the bottle and it didn’t quite work as he wanted, he immediately changed his opinion again. It was _not_ worth it.

At that Makki visibly relaxed, the lazy smile returning to his face. “Ok, that’s good. I’d _really_ feel bad otherwise.”

“As if you’d ever feel bad about something.”

“You wound me, Mattsun.” Makki wordlessly took the bottle out of Issei’s hand and opened it, before giving it back, the mock-hurt expression never leaving his face. “Even I have a heart.”

Issei just made a noncommittal noise inside his throat, while chugging the much needed water down.

Next to him Makki shifted his position, one foot laying on his knee, an elbow propped on it and his chin supported by his fist, and all Issei could think of was that _Makki should please stop doing that._ “But I didn’t think you were that much of a pussy, not even being able to ride on a small roller-coaster.”

It took some seconds for the raven to process the words, as his mind was still chanting the “He is way too beautiful for this world, why does he have to my best friend” song, mixed with “Thank god he is my best friend and I can spend so much time with him”. He still managed to look appropriately offended. “I don’t know how you got that weird perception about what is small, but that monster–” he pointed to the huge rollercoaster not far from the bench, the screams effortlessly carrying over to them– “is in no means small.”

Makki started grinning that kind of grin that immediately told Issei that he didn’t want to hear his next words. “Well, I can’t help that compared to my dick–“

“Please shut up.”

“everything else is just really small.”

“Oh god,” Issei groaned. “Why are we friends again?”

“Because you love me.”

And Issei couldn’t even deny that.

Maybe it was a little pathetic how much he pined after his best friend, but he just couldn’t help it. Since Issei had realized the true nature of his feelings towards Makki, the depth of his affection and how he simply couldn’t get him out of his head, he had done everything to hide it. Their friendship was more than precious enough to endure the occasional twinge of jealousy when Makki looked after some other guy.

Sadly this was exactly the kind of weakness, which had lead him to agreeing to step into the rollercoaster – a mistake he’d never make again.

Makki nudged his leg and pulled him out of his thoughts. “Come on, let’s find something you can ride without nearly puking. I didn’t take you to the amusement park just to suffer, after all.”

“Could have fooled me,” Issei muttered, prompting a joyous laugh, but stood up to follow Makki nonetheless.

And he honestly didn’t know how he ended up in a shaking gondola, way too high up in the air.

Issei clung to the side of the Ferris wheel’s gondola and tried his best to not lift his gaze up from the floor. Why did Makki have to be able to do perfect puppy eyes? Issei probably was weaker to them than to those of his own dog, and he was _very_ weak to Pancake.

“Are you alright, Mattsun?” Makki asked him from the other side of the gondola, and Issei was surprised to see genuine concern, when he met his eyes.

He grimaced. “I’m surviving.”

“Why didn’t you just say that you are afraid of heights?”

“I thought that was kinda obvious after the roller coaster.”

Makki winced a little at his humorless tone, and Issei had to look really miserable, judging by the sympathetic look on his best friend’s face. “I guessed that was because of the loops and the speed.”

“Yeah, that too,” Issei just laughed lightly.

Then he closed his eyes and try to relax a little, but although he couldn’t see it anymore he _knew_  that he was already several meters in the air and that it would be very painful to fall down now. The light shaking of the gondola didn’t help.

“Hey,” Makki called for him.

Issei opened his eyes and looked to his friend again, who had come surprisingly close. When Makki took of his hands he startled, trying to stifle a very unmanly squawk. Within an instance Issei’s cheeks grew hot, his eyes staring at the hands closed around his. And if his mind wasn’t in such an uproar over the skin contact he would have laughed and how cliché everything was. Because Makki was holding his hands. In a Ferris wheel. On his birthday.

_ Makki was holding his hands! _

“Just concentrate on me, ok?”

Issei could only nod dumbly, because there was no way in hell he could’ve concentrated on anything else but the man in front of him. Whether consciously or not Makki started to rub small circle in the back of Issei’s hands, and his skin _burnt_.

“Why did you even agree to go to the amusement park, when you are literally afraid of everything here?” Makki asked him, thought there was no teasing tilt in his tone like normally. He was calm, and uncharacteristically serious.

And Issei, swept by the unusual atmosphere between them, of course had to tell the truth. “Because it was you who asked.”

Makki’s eyes grew large, obviously surprised, and only then did Issei understand what he himself had said. “No, I mean, you were just so excited!” he spluttered, immediately trying to save the situation.

Not that this statement was in any way better.

But Makki didn’t seem to notice, or simply didn’t mind the implication. He laughed, not that loud, uncontrolled laugh, where he had to hold his stomach because it started to hurt after a few moments, but a more silent one, but still joyous and happy. And undeniably beautiful.

“But it’s your birthday, Mattsun,” he said, still beaming at him. “You’re so weird.”

If Issei’s heart hadn’t already beaten nearly painfully quick in his chest, because he still was very aware of the skin contact, it definitely would have started to race at this sight. So he just stared wordlessly.

God, he was so incredibly smitten, and there was nothing he could do about it.

And Makki smiled, apparently perfectly content with the whole situation. But suddenly, without anything actually changing, his eye grew large, his expression unbelieving.

And then he said, as if just realizing, “I love you.”

…

Did Issei say that his skin was burning before? Yeah, forget that.

His face was absolutely on fire.

“I- Wha- What?” he stuttered, his eyes just as large as Makki’s. “What did you just say?”

Makki didn’t seem to realize the situation, and you could practically see the heat rising in his face together with the redness. “No! I didn’t mean- I mean, I _did_ mean, but- Oh my god.” One hand closed over his mouth, and he quickly turned his face to look anywhere but at the raven.

Issei gripped closer to the hand that still remained inside his, not willing to break the contact completely.

“Fuck, I’m so sorry, Mattsun,” Makki continued to talk, after he apparently had at least somehow caught himself. “I didn’t mean to blurt it out like that, I just kinda realized it while looking at you, because everything suddenly seemed to make sense and I- I-” He took a deep breath. “We can never talk about it again, if it makes you uncomfortable.”

“What? No!” Issei vehemently shook his head, pulling Makki’s hand towards his chest to get his point across. “Definitely no. Do you even know how long I’m in love with you now?”

That made Makki look back, his eyes still as large as before, though some of the panic had vanished. It was replaced by a beautiful shimmer of hope. “Really?”

“Yes. Really. Oikawa is teasing me for being so obvious for half a year already.”

“I never knew,” Makki breathed silently, as if in wonder.

And Mattsun’s head was a complete mess again, his heart pounding even harder than before – although that seemed pretty impossible – and the biggest wave of delight washed over him. He was just so incredibly happy!

Makki said that he loved him!

_ Makki loved him! _

“Makki, I know you just realized your feelings,” he said quickly, before the giddy moment and his chance was gone, “but I’ve been dying to kiss you.”

Just with that Makki’s astounded expression was replaced by a wide grin. Without hesitation he reached out with his free hand and Issei let himself be pulled into a kiss just too gladly. Their mouths met with confidence, all of their happiness pouring into the simple press of lips against lips.

When they drew back Makki was smiling brightly at him again. “Happy Birthday, Mattsun.”

\---

Later they were simply lying next to each other on Issei’s bed, exchanging soft gazes and chaste kisses now and then. Their interlaced hands lay between them, Issei’s thump running over Makki’s knuckles in a similar way his boyfriend – _boyfriend_ – had done hours before on the Ferris wheel.

Issei started grinning at that thought. “You confessed to me on a Ferris wheel.”

“Yeah,” Makki said slightly confused. When it dawned to him what Issei meant he couldn’t help but groan. “I’m the cheesiest person alive.”

Issei laughed, delight still running through his whole system, leaning forward to kiss Makki again and simply relishing that he could finally do it.


	2. 3. Kyohaba

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A tiny little angst and a figth ahead.

“You don’t have to be like Oikawa in every aspect, you know?”

Startled by the sudden voice Shigeru flinched, dropping the ball in the process. The volleyball’s bouncing was the only sound in the long empty school gym, his teammates gone for – he quickly looked towards the clock – over an hour already. It was later than he’d thought.

But that was exactly what Shigeru had wanted – the silence to concentrate on his serves, and to not have eyes watching his every movement, judging him. That included Kyoutani’s eyes.

_ Especially _ Kyoutani’s eyes.

After overcoming the shock Shigeru realized that the blonde had actually spoken to him, though not knowing how to answer to that he just let out an irritated, “What?”.

Kyoutani came out of the doorway and further into gym, his hands buried in his jackets pocket, like so often, the permanent frown in place. For a short moment Shigeru asked himself why Kyoutani was still there. Then he asked himself how long he’d already been watching, and he didn’t know if he actually wanted to know the answer to that.

Since Shigeru had taken over as Seijoh’s new captain and Kyoutani officially becoming their ace, the two of them had grown closer somehow. On the one hand Shigeru had noticed that the blonde was actually not that grumpy and aggressive if you talked normally to him, and if he could play as much volleyball as he wanted – no one would say anything against that – and apparently he at least tolerated Shigeru. They weren’t arguing as often as in the beginning anymore, and it could nearly be called friendly banter most of the time.

One month into their third year they had started texting regularly, about absolutely mundane stuff, and there had even been that one time where Shigeru somehow had ended up going to the blonde’s house. He had been surprised to see that Kyoutani had two younger siblings, an eight year old sister and a five year old brother, and both of them absolutely adored their big brother. Not as surprising was seeing the golden retriever jumping around excitedly when they’d entered the house, and Shigeru had collected the money he and Watari had bet the next day.

Still, everything considered, Kyoutani had absolutely no right to tell him what to do.

Kyoutani simply raised an eyebrow at his squawked question, stopping a few meters away from him. “It’s late, you should go home.”

With a dismissive huff Shigeru went to gather the fallen ball. “Oikawa always stayed behind to practice his jump serve.”

“But just training yourself to exhaustion won’t make you as good as him.”

Those words shouldn’t burn as hot as they did, shouldn’t upset Shigeru this much. He had heard that more than once from other schools already, saying Seijoh wasn’t as much of a threat anymore without Oikawa. But they didn’t have to say anything, because Shigeru already _knew_ that, he _knew_  that he’d never be as good a server, as good a setter, as good a _captain_.

And still it made hot anger shoot through his veins, it _hurt_.

“Well, thank you very much,” he hissed, not concealing his aggravation in the slightest. “But guess what, that’s exactly why I’m training, to get better.”

“That won’t help much, though,” Kyoutani countered flatly, and Shigeru turned around in time to see him vaguely gesturing him towards the ball in his hands, his face completely unimpressed.

Somehow that pissed him off even more. “I know that my serves won’t get as good as Oikawa’s, no need to remind me. Now if you’re finished with giving me _advice_ –” he practically spat out that word– “I’d like to continue training. Alone. So kindly piss the fuck off.”

“That isn’t what I meant,” Kyoutani answered, his stance and tone now defensive, as if it was Shigeru, who had attacked _him_ , not the other way around. “I was saying that you won’t help the team much like this.”

And Shigeru really shouldn’t let that get to him that much, shouldn’t _care_ what anyone else was saying, because he already _knew_ all of that, but it was Kyoutani who was saying it, and-

And Kyoutani wasn’t anyone.

“I FUCKING KNOW!”

Kyoutani flinched back at Shigeru sudden shout, though probably more due to the shock than anything else. He didn’t back down a single step.

Shigeru was hot with anger, his view seemingly tinting red. All that anger, all that frustration that he’d had to swallow since the day Oikawa had stepped down, was boiling over in an instant. _Just because this was Kyoutani_.

“I _know_ that I’m not helping the team, that I’m not nearly as good enough as a setter, that I-”

“This is _not_ what I was talking about,” Kyoutani growled then, not nearly as loud as Shigeru, but menacingly enough that it stopped him midsentence.

That only pissed him off so much more. “What are we talking about then? My incompetence as captain?” He laughed humorlessly, one hand mussing up his hair in frustration. “I know that just as well, no need to remind me.”

With two quick steps Kyoutani was in his personal space, and Shigeru didn’t even have time to take a step back, before the blonde was fisting his hands in his t-shirt, pulling him down to meet his pissed off glare. “Just shut up for a moment and stop spouting so much shit about yourself!”

Shigeru just blinked wordlessly, surprised by how close they had gotten all of sudden, because despite their constant fights Kyoutani hadn’t ever got handsy with him, had never gotten violent.

“I was saying that you don’t help anyone if you continue to overwork yourself like this,” Kyoutani continued, unfazed by his lack of reaction. His voice was lowered again, a hiss more than a shout, but just as angry as before. “You have dark shadows under your eyes for weeks now, and even someone blind could see how tired you are.”

Overwork? Kyoutani was… worried about him?

Shigeru’s thought process seemed to be unable to catch up with this idea.

“The second years are worried about you. Even the first years noticed.”

Judging by his expression – how could Shigeru have missed the look inside his eyes? – Kyoutani was the most worried out of them all.  That was… unexpected.

And definitely unwanted.

Shigeru lashed out, freeing himself out of Kyoutani’s grip to push the blonde back. As expected the other boy was stumbling backwards, taken by surprise by the sudden movement. But that wasn’t enough for Shigeru. He took another step forward, pushing Kyoutani again.

“I don’t _need-_ ” another push- “your worry!” Another. “I don’t need you _help_!” Another.

Without saying a word Kyoutani just watched him, letting himself be pushed farther and farther back, until he was nearly at the door again. Shigeru was breathing heavily, his hands clenched to fists, trembling besides his thighs. Somehow he held back the need to punch him, because even in his fury he knew that it was not Kyoutani that he wanted to hit. That it was only himself.

That didn’t stop him from leashing out some more.

“This is _my_ freaking body, and I’m the only one who gets to decide what I do with it! And if I want to fucking train until I pass out then I _will_ train until I pass out!”

Kyoutani shook his head. “Why do you have to be so _stupid_?”

“And why do you even care?”

“Because I love you!”

The words rang loudly through the empty gym, as Kyoutani had shouted them. Still, they were not reaching Shigeru’s brain properly. He… Kyoutani… Him?

“I… I don’t understand,” he slowly answered, kicking himself for not responding in a better way. But how should he respond when he was too overwhelmed to properly think, too overwhelmed to know what he was actually thinking? Or rather, what was he feeling?

Kyoutani sighed, a sound that clearly showed how tired he was himself. He ran a hand over his short hair, while his face remained impassive, and Shigeru found himself following the movement with his eyes.

“Listen, you’re a good setter,” Kyoutani continued talking, looking everywhere but at him. “The others think- _I_ think, that it’s really easy to spike your tosses. You have good a game sense and always seem to know where to go, how to outplay the opponent. Also you’re a good captain. Your speeches are motivating and stuff, I guess.”

With every word Kyoutani said Shigeru got calmer, the meaning of the words slowly sinking in, especially the meaning of _those_ words, and when he paid enough attention he saw how bright red the blonde’s ears were. As so often the gruff expression was just a mask.

“Kyoutani-”

“And I can take care of the serves,” Kyoutani quickly continued, though Shigeru honestly didn’t know what he’d said if he hadn’t been interrupted. “I may not be as good as Oikawa yet, but I’m getting there. I’ll be better than him by the time the tournament starts. So… There’s no need to shoulder everything yourself, idiot.”

That would’ve normally be his queue to start teasing Kyoutani, to tell him that he shouldn’t be so full of himself. But-

But.

Kyoutani _loved_ him.

_ Kyoutani _ .

Without another word the blonde turned around and made his way to the door, apparently completely fixated on getting out of the gym before Shigeru could say anything.

Shigeru was still so shocked – so in _awe_ – that he was nearly too late, when he called his name. “Kyoutani!” When he didn’t make any effort to wait, Shigeru tried again. “Kyoutani, please.” And he was perfectly aware how miserable his voice sounded, how pleadingly. But Kyoutani stopped, so it was more than worth it.

Realizing that this was probably his only chance Shigeru quickly ran over to him, and just as the blonde had turned around Shigeru was throwing his arms around his neck. Kyoutani grunted at the impact, but Shigeru didn’t care. He simply buried his face against Kyoutani’s neck, pulling him as close as possible.

Only hesitantly Kyoutani’s hands came up, wrapping around his body, before one clung to Shigeru’s back while the other slid into his hair.

And Shigeru didn’t know how long they were standing there like this, wordlessly taking in each other’s warmth and comfort. He also didn’t know how to call that feeling, bubbling inside his chest and warming him from the inside.

But when they parted to clean up and go home, Shigeru was smiling widely and the former silence was filled with his happy chatter and Kyoutani’s gruff answers. Though they were not as gruff as usual.

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to see the any of these prompts with a specific pairing just write me a comment :)
> 
> My [tumblr](http://airakt.tumblr.com/)


End file.
